With A Smile
by sekephile
Summary: Ashiya always started his day with a smile. He believed that starting your day with a smile would bring some good vibes. After all, a warm smile was the universal language of kindness. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Please take care of me, senpai!" Ashiya beamed, hoping the blond would also share his enthusiasm but he only gave him an annoyed look. [Abeshiya AU]
1. Chapter 1

**Based on the official art where Abeno and Ashiya were convenience store workers and 'Abeshiya and Shop AU - headcanons' tumblr post by yorekichan. Many thanks to katBelle for the beta. Title is inspired from the song 'With A Smile' by South Border/Eraserheads. Cross-posted on my AO3 and tumblr.**

* * *

 _With A Smile_

* * *

 _Chapter Summary: Ashiya always started his day with a smile. He believed that starting your day with a smile would bring some good vibes. After all, a warm smile was the universal language of kindness. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Please take care of me, senpai!" Ashiya beamed, hoping the blond would also share his enthusiasm but he only gave him an annoyed look._

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 _"A_ _smile is the universal welcome_ _." - Max Eastman_

.

Ashiya always started his day with a smile. He believed that starting your day with a smile would bring some good vibes. His optimism was his best asset along with his friendly nature that made him an approachable fellow. Ashiya had this embarrassing childish dream of making the world a better place. He knew it sounded crazy but he would start it with a smile. After all, a warm smile was the universal language of kindness.

It was summer vacation, the weather was really hot and while most of his friends were probably spending their time on the beach or a resort, Ashiya wanted to use this chance to do something worthwhile and had decided to take a part-time job where he could gain some experience. He was in no need of money, he was just curious about working in a shop or restaurant or any other establishments that had an environment that was different from the one he'd grown up in.

Ashiya's family owned a flower shop and his mother was a florist. He sometimes helped out so he knew a thing or two about working. Also, he liked the smiles on their customer's faces whenever they left their shop. Ashiya hoped he would be able to deliver that kind of happiness to other places. He settled for a convenience store near his high school. It wasn't like any other convenience stores he'd seen before. The Mononokean Konbini had this morose atmosphere whenever you stepped inside, though it looked just like any other establishments on the outside.

"Welcome," a blond guy standing behind the counter dully greeted him as he raised a hand to his mouth to cover his yawn. Ashiya couldn't help but frown disapprovingly. He already spotted one fault of this store that was causing the morose atmosphere. Displaying a lack of enthusiasm towards your customers would surely doom any business to failure. If this guy didn't change his attitude he would be bad for business.

Setting his opinions aside, Ashiya reached for his bag and pulled out the flyer that he saw hanging outside the store. "Um, pardon me for asking. This flyer said that you're in need of extra hands, I just want to ask if you're hiring part-timers?" Ashiya asked with a polite smile. He didn't miss the slight furrow of the blond guy's eyebrows before a look of realization appeared on his face. Ashiya had to admit that this guy was actually good-looking. The ikemen type of guy that girls from his school usually fawned over.

"Oh, so you're not a customer," the blond guy stated in a rather disinterested manner with the bored look back on his handsome face. "So, you saw 'that' flyer made by one of our employees? I've never thought that someone would actually be interested, with Koura's creepy choice of words and all. But yes, we're currently hiring. You just need to talk with the manager but unfortunately that sex-maniac is out drinking again. Maybe, you should try your luck next time or better yet just go find another place. There are better establishments than this one that are also looking for part-timers," he said dismissively, silently asking Ashiya to stop wasting his time any further if he wasn't going to buy something.

The smile on Ashiya's face quickly disappeared and was replaced with a scowl. "But I don't want to look for another place, I want to work here," he asserted as he curled his hand into a fist and raised it to his chest to show his determination. The blond guy quirked an eyebrow at him and slightly tilted his head to the side as his golden eyes probed him. Ashiya involuntarily drew back from his scrutinizing gaze.

After a long moment of complete silence, the blond guy finally spoke, "I can see your enthusiasm." A relieved sigh escaped out of Ashiya's lips but before he could celebrate, the blond wasn't still finished. "But you look rather weak," he added truthfully.

The smile that was beginning to play on Ashiya's lips froze and slipped into a grimace. He didn't know if he should thank him for his unnecessary honesty or be annoyed because it was partially true. Ashiya used to frequently faint when he was younger, earning him the nickname 'Hanae-chan of the nurse office'. Even though he was already in high school some of his friends still called him that.

"What do you mean by that I look weak? I'm sorry, but you can't judge someone you've just met," Ashiya protested as he continued to glower at this rude blond employee. The other just stared back coolly at him and it was obvious that he was looking down on him and Ashiya could somehow tell that he only saw him as a small kid throwing a fit. Ashiya felt really offended.

The blond was saved from Ashiya's incoming tirade when they heard the chime of the store's doors being opened and they both turned to see a tall young man stepping inside. "Hello, Itsuki! I'm sorry I'm late, is everything at the store doing all right? Did my beloved Shizuku come to visit?" the man asked with a sheepish smile and Ashiya heard the blond mutter something under his breath that sounded like 'chain-smoker' and 'sister complex'. He stopped when he saw Ashiya. "Hoh, who is this boy, Itsuki? Is he a friend of yours?" Ashiya heard 'Itsuki' snorted in response. "Hmm, it seems he's not here to buy something," the man continued in an amused voice.

That gave Ashiya the signal to introduce himself. "Good day, sir! My name is Ashiya Hanae," he politely greeted with a pleasant-mannered smile as he folded his hands in front of him and slightly bowed. "I saw the flyer hanging outside your store and I'm interested in applying for the position," Ashiya stated without missing a beat. The tall man appeared to be the blond guy's superior so Ashiya had quickly assumed that he was the Mononokean Konbini's store manager.

The man hummed in interest. "Ashiya Hanae-kun, right? I'm a really busy person so I won't bother reading your resume but do you think you could give your body and soul in service to every customer that comes into this store? You looked rather weak."

Ashiya felt like he was stabbed again when he was called 'weak' for the second time, but he didn't let it show in his face. He just responded with a determined 'Yes!' and promised that he would do his very best.

The tall man, who really turned out to be the manager, seemed impressed. "I like your spirit. Maybe Itsuki could learn a thing or two from you." Ashiya saw the blond shot him a glare. "Okay, you're hired! You can start today if you want to, and Itsuki," he turned to the latter, unmindful of his murderous look. "I want you to show Ashiya-kun the ropes, that's an order."

Ashiya's smile instantly faltered and the miffed look on the blond's face suggested that they both shared the same sentiment. He managed to put aside his irritation towards the other and give his best smile. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Please take care of me, senpai!" Ashiya beamed, hoping the blond would also share his enthusiasm but he only gave him an annoyed look.

"Aww, it looks like you've just got yourself a kouhai, Itsuki-senpai~" the manager said in a teasing voice which only deepened the frown on the blond's face. He sent Ashiya an accusing look. Ashiya smiled back helplessly but his glare only sharpened. Ashiya couldn't help but noticed that this guy had never once smiled. A newfound determination suddenly bloomed inside him.

"Okay, I'm going to leave you two now. I just came here to check. I hope Ashiya-kun and Itsuki will be good friends." The manager left, leaving Ashiya to deal with the brooding blond by himself. But before he could open his mouth, the other beat him to it.

"Ashiya Hanae, correct? I'm Abeno Haruitsuki." Ashiya expected that they would at least shake hands but Abeno preferred to keep his hand to himself as he crossed his arms over his chest. "The manager is a very laidback person but I am not. I don't really expect anything from you but I hope you can follow simple instructions if you really want to keep working here," Abeno said, and Ashiya followed him around the store.

Little did he know that his normal high school life was about to change.

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 **Feedback are appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Based on the official art where Abeno and Ashiya were convenience store workers and 'Abeshiya and Shop AU - headcanons' tumblr post by yorekichan. Many thanks to katBelle for the beta. Title is inspired from the song 'With A Smile' by South Border/Eraserheads. Cross-posted on my AO3 and tumblr.**

* * *

 _With A Smile_

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 _Chapter Summary: Joy was one kind of emotion he was very familiar with ever since he was a little kid. It was his mother who taught him that the best way to reach someone's heart was to start with a smile. However, that seemed to not be the case with his senpai. Ashiya had only known him for two weeks but Abeno was already treating him like he was the biggest idiot in the world._

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" _Most smiles are started by another smile." – Frank A. Clark_

.

Joy was one kind of emotion he was very familiar with ever since he was a little kid. Ashiya grew up watching his mother tend to her flowers as if they were her own children. _'If you keep showering them with love, even a wilted plant could bloom into a beautiful flower someday,'_ she had once told him with a smile on her face as she weaved her magic that would always bring joy to everyone's faces. It was his mother who taught him that the best way to reach someone's heart was to start with a smile.

However, that seemed to not be the case with his senpai. "Ashiya," Abeno called out to him in that usual gruff voice which he was slowly getting used to. Ashiya hesitantly came towards the other who had a narrowed look in his golden eyes, which was already nothing new, along with that permanent deep furrow of his eyebrows as if he was born with it. "You got it all wrong again. Didn't I tell you just a few minutes ago that this one should be placed here and that one should be put over there? Can't your brain keep up with simple instructions?"

It had only been two weeks since Ashiya started working at the Mononokean Konbini but he already couldn't count how many times he had been scolded and _insulted_ by a guy he had only known for two weeks. Ashiya wasn't a judgmental person but in just two weeks he had learned that Abeno's tongue wasn't pretty like his face. True, he might be a bit clumsy, forcing Abeno to redo his work but he wasn't a blockhead like Abeno claimed him to be. It was obvious to Ashiya that the other didn't really like him but it only pushed Ashiya more to prove him wrong, though looking at things now it seemed he only made Abeno dislike him more.

Ashiya watched him close his eyes rather tiredly as he let out an exasperated sigh. "Just leave it to me, and go put this box up on that shelf. And do not fall off the ladder, do you understand?" The last part was really unnecessary but seeing how Ashiya seemed to be a magnet of accidents such as tripping over his own feet or dropping items on the floor he realized he couldn't really blame Abeno. Ashiya carefully took the box from Abeno's hold and the other warned him to 'watch his step' but as soon as it was said, his foot slipped on something wet only three steps away.

Shizuku, the manager's little sister, was the one who was assigned to mop the floor, Ashiya remembered while he was falling backwards with the box still firmly wrapped in his embrace as he squeezed his eyes shut. But before he could crack his skull open, Ashiya felt a strong pair of arms had caught him. "What on earth are you doing?!" Ashiya fluttered his eyes open and found himself in his senpai's arms as he met his angry gaze. He waited for Abeno to berate him but Ashiya didn't expect the worry in his voice. "You idiot, didn't I tell you just a few seconds ago to watch your step? You almost seriously hurt yourself instead!"

Two weeks. Ashiya had only known him for two weeks but Abeno was already treating him like he was the biggest idiot in the world. Ashiya should be feeling affronted but it didn't change the fact that the other had just saved him from his carelessness. Before he even had the chance to say his thanks, Abeno had already let him go as he roughly pushed Ashiya off on him. "If you're unhurt, then hurry and go back to work," Abeno said in a clipped tone and quickly turned his back on him. Two weeks of interaction and Ashiya could already tell that Abeno didn't like being around with people much.

His unaccountable wariness was something that Ashiya had been trying to decipher. Aside from that he was bossy, rude, a bit quick-tempered, and the same age as Ashiya—he still couldn't believe that Abeno was only fifteen years old like him because he was so mature and acted twice his age—Abeno was a complete mystery. Ashiya had never once seen him smile for the two weeks he had spent working with him. Even though he saw him engage normally with other people and sometimes fool around with the manager and other employees, Abeno had this distant aura about him.

"What are you spacing out there for, Ashiya? Hurry up and put that box up on that shelf. And please try not to hit your head this time, this store doesn't provide accident insurance so avoid getting yourself killed." Abeno's chiding instantly snapped Ashiya out of his reverie and he wondered how long he had been gawking there like a dolt as he bashfully tore his eyes away from the other. He heard Abeno call out from behind as he reminded him again to be careful and Ashiya couldn't help but felt slightly annoyed at the way Abeno treated him like he was incompetent. It only fueled Ashiya's determination.

He felt a bit proud of himself when he successfully finished the task at hand without any accidents whatsoever. Ashiya eagerly turned to his senpai and looked at him expectantly but Abeno just waved him off. His dejection must have appeared on his face because Koura, the older female employee, suddenly accosted the other. "Itsuki, don't you have anything to say to Ashiya-kun? Just look at him, I can see your kouhai's ears drooping like a dog because his senpai won't even acknowledge his work. Am I right, Ashiya-kun? Say that you want to be praised by Itsuki."

Ashiya could feel himself flush in embarrassment. "I-it's not like that, Koura-san!" he quickly denied but the older woman continued to tease him and appeared to be having fun. Ashiya sent a timid glance Abeno's way and at that exact moment, Abeno also turned and their eyes met for a few seconds. Abeno was the first one to break eye contact as he averted his head away. Eventually, he gruffly ordered them to get back to work and before Ashiya could brush past him, Abeno muttered something. Ashiya's eyes widened by a fraction as he spun on his heel but Abeno was already a distance away.

 _'Good work.'_

It might have sounded strained and a bit forced, but it was the first time Abeno had said something to him that wasn't derogatory and Ashiya could feel the irrefutable joy slowly bubbling in his chest. _He had just been praised._ Abeno had just praised his work even after all the trouble Ashiya had caused him. "Are you okay, Ashiya-kun? You've been grinning in front of that beverage cooler for a while now. You'll scare the customers away." He heard Shizuku say from behind him in a worried tone.

Ashiya had somehow spaced out again, and had been standing in front of one of the store's walk-in coolers with the glass door hanging wide open. "Ashiya! Why are you still freezing your butt over there? You're wasting electricity so close the door already! Do you think you're in a playground? Go get that sex-maniac from his office and tell him that one of our suppliers is on the phone, and TELL him to stop smoking inside or I'll burn his hair."

Ashiya had learned that Abeno hated going to the manager's office because it always reeked of cigarettes so he always asked Ashiya to fetch the man. Even though Abeno had scolded him again, the grin still wouldn't leave his face, leaving him grinning the whole day so that Abeno labeled him a creep. Ashiya naturally retaliated, and they ended up throwing insults to one another. "You arrogant hot-headed tyrannical scowling inhuman stiff!" he yowled whatever his mouth could spout off, and Ashiya could see the livid expression on Abeno's handsome face.

"What did you just call me? You blabbermouth halfwitted clumsy immature five-year-old!" Abeno seethed, and Ashiya knew Abeno was also aware that the volume of their voices was getting out of hand but it didn't stop them from lashing out at one another.

Fortunately for them, there weren't many people around in the store during that time of the day but they still managed to raise some hell until they were both called into the manager's office. Abeno was still grumbling beside Ashiya, and the cloud of smoke coming from the manager's pipe only worsened his mood. "It's been only two weeks but I can see that you two are getting along really well," the manager casually remarked as he took a deep drag of his pipe, and Ashiya could see Abeno's eyebrow twitched.

"Are you kidding me? How can you just haphazardly hire someone and make me look after this five-year-old here? I'm not his nursery school teacher," Abeno continued to grumble and Ashiya felt a vein throbbed out of his forehead. "Even a real five-year-old could run an errand but this guy is just totally hopeless."

"Excuse me, but I ran my first errand when I was still four years old so Abeno-san doesn't have the right to judge me, you slave-driver!"

"Hah? No one was asking, you idiot. And who are you calling slave-driver?"

"You obviously, you big dummy."

"Are you really looking for a fight, huh? Ashiya?"

"Hahaha, you guys are such good friends," the manager suddenly commented as he watched their little squabble with an amused look on his face as he took another drag. He was clearly entertained, as if Abeno and Ashiya had just saved him from his boredom of sitting—lazing—around all day while doing some paperwork—or at least pretended to be.

"How does this look like friendship?!" Ashiya and Abeno both said in unison as they whipped their heads to the older man at neck-breaking speed. The action only amused the manager more as he let out a soft chuckle. Ashiya didn't miss Abeno's offhanded comment about wishing the manager would choke on his own pipe and die. Abeno's implausible dislike and distaste towards the other man also didn't escape his notice. Though, Ashiya still found that Abeno obediently complied to the other's whims. Their odd superior-subordinate relationship was something that Ashiya couldn't comprehend.

He was expecting some sort of punishment for their earlier behavior but they only received a short lecture and before Ashiya knew it, his shift was almost over. After doing a final check-up before leaving the store, Ashiya found himself shuffling his feet as he waited for his senpai to come out of the changing room. It just happened that their shifts today both ended at the same time. Ashiya knew that Abeno was somehow right. He was clumsy and a bit of an airhead and if wasn't for Abeno's guidance, Ashiya would probably have been fired by now.

"U-um, Abeno-san!" he immediately called out when Abeno stepped out of the changing room. The other was dressed in a casual plain red shirt, dark jeans, and white tennis shoes. This was the first time Ashiya had seen him in other clothing aside from the store's uniform. Abeno looked a bit younger, more like his age, and he looked surprised to see Ashiya waiting for him. Ashiya tried not to gawk at the other, as he twiddled his fingers. "U-um, I just wanted to say thank you for saving me earlier and I'm sorry for behaving so rudely to you when Abeno-san had done nothing but help me get by with work," he said with a deep bow.

"I don't need your thanks, just do your job properly and try not to injure yourself along the way," Abeno stated nonchalantly and told him to raise his head. "And I'm sorry too, that was completely tactless of me," he quietly added with his head turned away from him. Ashiya blinked, and when Abeno didn't say anything and kept avoiding his eyes, the grin from before returned to his lips. "You're being creepy again," Abeno said in a repelled manner as he backed away slightly, and instead of biting his head off, Ashiya just gave him a warm smile.

"You're actually a good person, aren't you Abeno-san?" Ashiya said rather fondly and he heard Abeno let out an indignant huff and mutter something under his breath that sounded like 'You're really annoying'. He couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. So this was how his senpai was like when he was flustered, or close to being flustered. Ashiya immediately ceased giggling when he saw that curl of his lips. It was only for a split-second but Ashiya knew what he had just witnessed.

 _'If you keep showering them with love, even a wilted plant could bloom into a beautiful flower someday,'_ he remembered his mother had once told him and as Ashiya walked home, the image of Abeno's smile wouldn't leave his mind.

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 **Feedback are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Based on the official art where Abeno and Ashiya were convenience store workers and 'Abeshiya and Shop AU - headcanons' tumblr post by yorekichan. Many thanks to katBelle for the beta. Title is inspired from the song 'With A Smile' by South Border/Eraserheads. Cross-posted on my AO3 and tumblr.**

* * *

 _With A Smile_

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 _Chapter Summary: Service with a smile—that was the basic rule in every business establishment. If there was one rule that Abeno couldn't adhere to, it would be this most basic one. Everything was normal like it had always been until the arrival of one bubbly boy with a flower for a name, whose waves came crashing down on him and disrupted the life he knew._

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 _"Even a smile is a good deed." – Shari Arison_

.

Service with a smile—that was the basic rule in every business establishment. If there was one rule that Abeno couldn't adhere to, it would be this most basic one. Abeno was a diligent worker even though he had a bad habit of falling asleep during his shift. The manager never reproached him for that but the older man always urged him to smile. "Like this, Itsuki," he would demonstrated with a flash of his teeth. "Try turning the corners of your mouth upwards. Honestly, if you would only just loosen that scowl on your face, you could pick up a girl or two. It's really such a shame to see a fellow handsome face go to waste."

For a fifteen year old high school kid, Abeno had a stern expression and spoke so formally that no one would suspect that he was still a brat struggling to support himself. Life had forced him to grow up quickly and Abeno learned to be independent. Smiling wasn't really his field of expertise and he didn't see any reason to flex the muscles of his cheeks like the manager was suggesting, even to only fake a smile. Abeno never really liked pretentiousness. This particular store policy was frankly a piece of rubbish and a violation to the rights of the employee but it was a requirement, a rule that Abeno couldn't abide no matter how hard he tried.

The manager noticed that his coaching proved to be going nowhere and quickly gave up. "Really, Itsuki. If you keep frowning like that it will really give off some bad vibes around the store. This place is already morose as it is so please don't add to the gloominess. That's why there are no young women customers coming in our store even though there's a high school nearby. I hired you because I thought if we had a handsome young man like you, women would start streaming in but I guess I was wrong, huh?" The man let out a dejected sigh.

Abeno knew that wasn't really the case, the Mononokean Konbini was just simply too old-fashioned and unattractive in the eyes of the general masses. The establishment was also in poor condition and in dire need of renovations. Plus, the manager liked to slack off so he only had himself and his poor supervision to blame. He did know the older man had a point and in a service industry, impressions were important but Abeno didn't really care about what other people thought of him. Smiling for an hour was tiring. Smiling all day was exhausting. Smiling without any particular reason was stupid, even if it was for appearance's sake.

Abeno had been working at the Mononokean Konbini for six months now, almost half a year. He was already familiar with some of the customers who always stopped by their store. Most of them were elderly people and Abeno actually preferred their company to that of foolish kids his age. He would sometimes chat with them and his display of maturity and refined manners had earned him the same level of respect as they began to address him with '-dono'. The honorific had honestly bothered him at first but Abeno learned to get used to it because like the common store policy would say, 'The customer is always right'. He could handle anything but smiling just wasn't one of them.

It was another calm morning. Abeno had just started his shift half an hour ago and no one was around. Abeno grabbed the opportunity to enjoy this moment of tranquility. Contrary to everyone else, Abeno liked the serene ambience of the Mononokean Konbini. The placidness soothed his frayed nerves from daily life's struggles and the loneliness didn't bother him a bit. Abeno had lived almost half of his life alone so he didn't mind much being by himself. Everything was normal like it had always been until the arrival of one bubbly boy with a flower for a name, whose waves came crashing down on him and disrupted the life he knew.

"Good morning, Abeno-san!" Ashiya's upbeat voice was the first noise Abeno would hear in the morning at the store for the past few weeks. His peaceful moments were already over and he was slowly getting used to the interruptions as he let out an annoyed sigh.

"Ah! I still haven't done anything but Abeno-san is already sighing like I've something wrong again!" He was half right and half wrong. Ashiya wasn't doing anything wrong except for breathing. His sudden existence in Abeno's daily routine was his only error and if there was a way to fix it, it would be with his disarming smiles.

Before Abeno could amend his queer thoughts—thoughts he was getting a lot more lately and it was all that five-year-old's fault—the chime hanging above the entrance jangled and a familiar face walked in through the doors. The delight in Ashiya's voice resonated across the store, filling every dark corner with his rays of sunshine as he greeted one of their frequent customers. "Good morning Ashiya-dono, Abeno-dono." Mitsuchigiura, an elderly monk living in a shrine nearby, returned Ashiya's greeting with an amount of enthusiasm that Abeno had never seen before from the elderly man. "Every day seems livelier in this store, hm?"

Abeno just turned his head away when the latter threw him a meaningful glance. He wouldn't deny that ever since Ashiya had started working at the Mononokean Konbini, the morose atmosphere that had been clouding around the store had slowly dispersed and the fresh scent of flowers, which weren't present before, was everywhere. It was a sign of the other boy's existence and of the changes he brought to this despondent place. "Abeno-san, will you let me take over the cash register today?" Ashiya asked rather excitedly. "I want to try punching the keys!"

"No," Abeno flatly replied and the other had this kicked puppy look and he could see his ears drooping like a dog. Abeno was really against animal abuse but he reminded himself that Ashiya was a human being even though he looked like a baby chick with his tousled blue locks. He mentally shook his head. Abeno should really stop comparing the other boy with small animals. "The cash register isn't something for a five-year-old to play at. Toilet duty would suit you better since you're shitty at your job."

"Did you call me a shit just now, Abeno-san?"

"I never said anything like that."

"You did just a few seconds ago! You said that toilet duty would suit me better because I looked like shit!"

"Stop twisting my words for your own convenience!" Abeno didn't really like dealing with people with personalities like Ashiya's. His type was usually a pain in the ass. Abeno couldn't help but think that the manager had purposely left the boy in his care because he knew it would annoy him. Though, the older man must have a good reason why he hired the other and somehow Abeno already had an inkling of it. The manager had seen something in Ashiya. The boy continued to squawk and the chord of his voice was as clearly receptive as the day they first met. It rang through the corners of Abeno's mind. "Quit flapping your gums and get to work."

Ashiya obeyed at once without any further complaints when he sensed his ire. Abeno watched him scuffle through the staff room at the back. Even the bounce of his steps was exuberant and as unpleasant to listen to as his voice. "I never tire of watching, Ashiya-dono." Abeno cast his attention to the elderly man beside him. When he heard him speak of the other boy the attachment in his voice was evident. Ashiya had only been working at the Mononokean Konbini for a month now but he was already buddy-buddy with everyone, including their customers. It didn't take long until they also began addressing him with '-dono.'

It was plain-obvious that the boy took pleasure at the honorific unlike Abeno who still felt a bit uncomfortable. Yet seeing the smug expression on the other's face caused annoyance to seep into him instead. A loud thoughtless crybaby like Ashiya didn't deserve such title. He was a five-year-old through and through in the disguise of a fifteen year old boy.

"Well, I do," Abeno huffed in reply to Mitsuchigiura. A headache formed every time he mentioned his kouhai. He was aware of his responsibility as Ashiya's senior but he wasn't the other's nursery school teacher.

"Really?" Mitsuchigiura sounded surprise, and Abeno was perplexed at the monk's reaction. "I'm actually rather sensitive to the expression of others. Abeno-dono's seems to have softened since the last time we met."

This caught Abeno's full attention as he self-consciously raised a hand to his face and clasped his jaw in contemplation. "Was I making a weird face?" Ever since Ashiya came Abeno's work had doubled because of two reasons: One, Ashiya was prone to accidents so Abeno had to redo his work like _all the time_. And two, Ashiya was prone to accidents so he had to keep an eye on him like _all the time_. He was an idiot who'd most likely die in dumb ways like tripping over his own feet. He wondered if the other had defective legs because he was like a newborn baby fawn taking its first steps. Abeno had developed a second-instinct of catching or cushioning him before he could hit the ground and unnecessarily injure himself. "More like since he arrived, I've had more reasons to tense up." Abeno tried to dismiss the fact the he had just compared Ashiya with a small, helpless animal again.

"That's one of the factors in your change," Mitsuchigiura explained but Abeno was still at loss and the furrow of his eyebrows only deepened. _Change? Him? That five-year-old Ashiya changed him?_ They had only known each other shortly but Abeno begrudgingly admitted that the other had been occupying his mind these past few days. He was still trying to figure out why. "It hasn't been long since Ashiya-dono started working in here. He's still new to this kind of thing so you may still need to guide him. But I'm sure he'll make a good worker."

Abeno really doubted it.

"People like him are valuable especially in a withered place such as this. Abeno-dono must take good care of Ashiya-dono. You'll never find someone like him again."

The monk's words haunted him the whole morning and Abeno found himself stealing wary glances at his kouhai as if the boy posed a huge threat. Ashiya might be a bumbling fool but Abeno knew there was something more about him than what met the eye. He had spent most of his shift surveying the other and apparently he wasn't being discreet about it as the subject of his concern turned to face him. "If you have a problem with me, say it!" Ashiya suddenly accused in an exaggerating voice. "I can't properly do my job if you keep glaring at me as if you want to eat me, Abeno-san. If I did something that makes you unhappy, tell me! Reprimand me!"

Abeno had a sudden desire to put a duct tape over his mouth.

"Hoh, what's this about eating Ashiya-kun? Are you a carnivore now, Itsuki?" the manager chimed in as he stepped out of his office and Abeno scrunched his nose at the stench of cigarettes leaking out of the room. "I know Ashiya-kun looks like a baby duckling but you can't prey on him, okay? Well, at least not now. Flirting is prohibited during work hours. You two can be lovey-dovey all you want after your shifts, okay?" Abeno fixed his glare at the other man and Ashiya was cawing, his face beet-red like the basket of strawberries he was carrying in his tiny arms. "By the way Ashiya-kun, where did you get those strawberries?"

"Ah, Manjiro-san gave them to me!" Ashiya chirped. Manjiro was an eel shop owner who also frequented their store and one of Abeno's acquaintances. The elderly man stopped by earlier to give his thanks to the other boy and Abeno heard that Ashiya had helped him find his wedding ring that he'd accidentally dropped on the river. It seemed that Ashiya was acquainting himself with their customers even outside of work, not that it was bad thing. He was just too friendly and trusting for his own good, and that naivety could put him at a disadvantage, which slightly worried Abeno. "Manjiro-san learned that I like strawberries but I didn't expect he'd give me a basket. This is a lot so please take some manager," Ashiya offered and the older man graciously accepted the freshly picked fruits. "You too, Abeno-san!" The boy turned to him with that smile Abeno could never imitate in his life.

"You're annoying," Abeno said dismissively. Ashiya reacted violently at his rejection but he paid him no mind. He couldn't believe that he was worried even if just a little bit about this idiot. There was a limit to his duty as his senior so Abeno shouldn't feel obliged to look and worry after this five-year-old. Thankfully, his shift was almost over and Abeno couldn't wait to get home and get away from Ashiya. He didn't want to spend more time with the other and he didn't want to catch his idiocy.

Abeno was already packing up for the day when he heard a howl across the store. He quickly went to check it and saw Ashiya gripping his right hand. The other had scalded himself when he'd tried to fix the coffee dispenser. Ashiya paled visibly when he saw Abeno barreling towards him and instantly backed away. "I-I'm sorry, Abeno-san! I know I'm an incompetent five-year-old who can't even handle a simple errand! I'm a useless deadweight who always needed your help! I'm really sorry for being such a useless co-worker so please have mercy on me!" Ashiya pleaded.

"Quit blaming yourself you pain in the ass, and give me your hand," Abeno demanded as he reached out his palm.

Ashiya just stared at his outstretched hand and then at him rather warily. "A-are you going to break it?"

Abeno could feel the last string of his patience finally snapped. "No, I'm not! Who do you think I am? Just give me your hand you moron so that we can treat your burn!" he snarled and grabbed the other's hand in frustration. Abeno dragged him roughly to the washroom with Ashiya wailing like a cat giving birth. Shortly, the boy quieted down and Abeno could sense his blue eyes training on him as he finished bandaging his right hand. Ashiya admired his handiwork and bestowed him with another one of his smiles. Abeno frowned back. "Why do you always smile like that?"

The other appeared to be slightly taken aback by his abrupt question, and when Abeno thought that he wasn't going to answer him, Ashiya let out an amused chuckle. He quickly apologized when Abeno shot him a warning glare but the smile didn't leave his lips. Abeno often wondered if the boy ever got tired of smiling. Even though he was struggling with his job, Ashiya never forgot to smile. Even though Abeno treated him like shit sometimes, Ashiya never forgot to smile at him.

"Because I'm scared."

Abeno definitely didn't expect that kind of answer and the imploring look in his eyes urged the other to continue. "I'm scared of the things that could go wrong along the way but I know I'll get by with a smile."

People smiled for many reasons, but this was the first time Abeno had heard of someone smiling because they were scared, and somehow he was relieved even though he didn't understand why.

"You should really smile more often, Abeno-san," Ashiya suddenly remarked.

"Hah? I don't see any reason to smile unlike you."

The boy just blinked owlishly at him. "Then why are you smiling right now?" he queried, and Abeno found himself unable to speak as he mirrored the other's confusion and clasped a hand over his mouth. _Was he making a weird face again?_ Ashiya's little bell-like voice rang across the room as he let out another hearty chuckle. "Even a smile is a good deed, Abeno-san."

The truth hit Abeno like a ton of bricks. Mitsuchigiura was right.

* * *

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